What is it?
Boasting a huge seven-seater debut, the Volkswagen Teramont is the largest SUV that VW has ever made – 10 inches longer than the Touareg and 13 inches longer than the Tiguan.
We drove the Volkswagen Teramont at a launch event in the scenic mountains of Oman earlier this month. Read on to find our verdict.
How does it drive?
The refined and muscular Volkswagen Teramont V6 glided down the rocky mountains with the utmost composure, chewing up miles with class and giving stiff competition to the Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango and the Nissan Pathfinder.
The drive settings let you adjust the steering effort to your liking and when Sport is engaged, the drive is more communicative and responsive than what you’d get in the other SUVs of the same segment.
Interior quality and tech
The Volkswagen Teramont offers a large cargo capacity and good passenger comfort, making it a fairly good family car choice.
It is exceptionally roomy and versatile inside, and its conservative looks should hold up well (we loved the fact that there were too many cup-holders which is always better than too few).
Inside, the dashboard wants to carry the majority of design styling from the CrossBlue principle. The cockpit console is low slung and uses a large infotainment screen edged by air vents on either side. High-end, wood-like trim covers the dash and streams onto the door panels. The HVAC controls are of the three-knob range, making them easy to control.
Using the intuitive Volkswagen 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, you can select a different driving profile to adjust the Teramont for added control in any condition.
One standout safety feature is the company’s post-collision braking tech, which automatically holds the brakes after a collision to prevent the car from moving if it is hit by a second or even third vehicle. When it comes to crossovers, especially seven-seaters, it’s safe to say that performance doesn’t sell. But the Teramont could change that, with above-average driving dynamics and a generally refined feel.
It’s absolutely enormous inside. Someone more than six feet tall can fit comfortably in the third row, which is an extreme that demonstrates just how much space is back there. Headroom is sufficient and legroom can even be expanded thanks to the sliding second-row seat. In fact, you can fit similarly tall people in each of the rows at the same time.
Running costs
In terms of pricing, the Volkswagen Teramont fits between the Tiguan and the Touareg, which is a good value proposition. The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, with 220 bhp, starts from AED 137,100 and the 3.6-litre V6 with 280hp starts from AED 146,600. Both trims have amazing fuel economy of 12 and 10.7 liters per 100kms respectively.
For a fully comprehensive insurance policy, you will be paying between AED 3,500 and AED 5,000.
Our verdict
The Volkswagen Teramont drives well and smooth, and if you have a big family and are looking for a spacious car then this is the car for you. The price tag is fairly decent too as compared to other SUVs in the same segment.
